Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

Image: Hachette Book Group

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours, 14 minutes. Read by Saskia Maarleveld. Hachette Audio, January, 2023. 9781549135033. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from public library.)

Happy Tuesday TMS Readers! Teen Tuesday features The Stolen Heir by Holly Black. Ms. Black returns to the kingdom of Elfhame in book one of a planned duology. She really is the undisputed queen of stories of the faerie folk. Make no mistake, this world is not full of benign little Tinker Bells. This world is savage.

The story takes place eight years after the Battle of the Serpent. Queen Nore has imprisoned Madoc in the Ice Needle Citadel and Queen Jude has sent her half-brother, Prince Oak, now eighteen, on a quest to free him. Queen Nore's ransom is a missing relic. Suren, Wren, has been living rough in the human world when she is hunted by the hag Bogdana. Oak rescues her and she joins him on his quest. Once upon a time, the two were betrothed.

This dark and twisty tale enchants from the beginning. I read this with my ears and enjoyed new-to-me narrator, Saskia Maarleveld's well-paced performance. The ending was so riveting that I missed my exit on my drive home from Massachusetts on Sunday and got stuck in traffic on 95 all the way to the George Washington Bridge in the rain! Now, I breathlessly await the next book, The Prisoner's Throne, due out in February, 2023. Mature readers who enjoy dark fantasy will enjoy this. Highly recommended! Happy reading.

PS: isn't that cover amazing?

Teen Tuesday and Audio Review: This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi. This Woven Kingdom #1. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~13 hours. Read by Kate Reading. HarperAudio/ HarperCollins, February, 2022. 9780063220225. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi. 
Alizeh is a servant in a wealthy house in the kingdom of Ardunia. She wears a garment called a snodder to hide her features because she is a jinn. Even though the wars between the jinn and humankind are over, jinn are not safe to roam about in society and Alizeh is at risk even more because she has ice in her veins, which makes her very powerful. She's also a talented seamstress and tries to earn extra money sewing gowns for clients at night. There is a huge ball for the crown prince coming and a client is interested in having her sew several. Traveling through the streets late at night is dangerous for an unaccompanied woman though, and she's attacked by a young boy, but a shadowy figure intervenes and Alizeh flees into the night, dropping her parcels. That figure is Prince Kamran, who is more interested in leading his army than attending the ball that is being thrown in his honor, but his grandfather insists that he choose a bride.

Ms Mafi is a gifted writer and this epic high fantasy series starter based on an ancient Persian poem and Islamic tradition is riveting from page one. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers panting for book two, These Infinite Threads, which, luckily, is out. Highly recommended!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Rivals by Katharine McGee

Image: Penguin Random House

Rivals by Katharine McGee. American Royals #3. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~12 hours, 37 minutes. Read by Brittany Presley. Listening Library/ Books on Tape, May, 2022. 9780593584408. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from the public library.)

Happy 'I'm melting' Tuesday! The heat continues in NJ, and while not as bad as other places in the U.S., it isn't conducive to the yard work I have on my to-do list! We had a little excitement in the neighborhood yesterday. My neighbor finally broke ground on her addition, and thanks to the previous owner's un-permitted and shoddy work and faulty marking by the gas company, the backhoe hit the gas line. Talk about starting a project with a bang! Here's hoping the rest of the work goes smoothly.

Teen Tuesday features Rivals by Katharine McGee. This is book three of the American Royals series, so as usual, I will be a bit vague in my summary. Even though the main characters in this series are older teens, the alternate history aspect and storytelling from multiple points of view are just plain fun. 

Beatrice is settling into her new role and about to host a week-long event called The League of Kings. Samantha seems to be settling down nicely with Marshall and Jefferson is starting college. There's plenty of court intrigue, high fashion and backstabbing to keep listening, and a "wait, what?" ending that will leave fans of the series panting for the next installment.

Ms. Pressley continues to keep the delivery breezy and fun. She employs a variety of voices and accents. While you can jump into this series at book three, why miss all the soap-opera-ish fun? Here's a link to my review of American Royalty. Happy reading.

#tbt: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Graceling by Kristin Cashore. 471 p. HarperCollins Publishers, October, 2008. 9780152063962. (Own.)

#tbt features Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Ms. Cashore burst on the YA scene in 2008 with her dazzling debut fantasy. Katsa and Po's story and the vivid world building of the Seven Kingdoms captivated fantasy lovers, who panted for the sequel. Graceling was named to several state awards lists as well as the Amelia Bloomer Lists, Booklist Editors' Choice, School Library Journal Best Books and YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. 

If you love high fantasy and stories of court intrigue, you will love Graceling. I forgot how gorgeous the cover of the hard cover book was and I just love how Gareth Hinds incorporated the knife on the cover of his graphic novel adaptation. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: American Royals II: Majesty by Katherine McGee

Image: Penguin Random House

American Royals II: Majesty by Katherine McGee. Unabridged downloadable e-audiobook, ~13 hours. Read by Brittany Pressley. Listening Library/ Penguin Random House Audio, September, 2020. 9780593216866. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday TMS Readers! I hope you are enjoying the break and reading a lot! I also hope that the sky is clear enough to see the last full moon of the year. The thirteenth full moon of 2020, known as the Cold Moon will rise at 4:12 and achieve full brightness at 10:30. You can also catch it as it sets tomorrow morning at 7:52. Mother Nature has not been kind to us regarding all the amazing celestial events that have been occurring lately - the lunar eclipse, the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter and the Ursids meteor showers.

Teen Tuesday features American Royals II: Majesty by Katherine McGee. Majesty is the eagerly awaited conclusion to American Royals, which was featured on a Teen Tuesday on Election Day. Any plot synopsis will spoil the ending for American Royals, so I will just say that surprises are in store for fans of the first book. Devious plans are afoot that will test the confidence of a couple of major characters. 

All-in-all, I loved the development of all the main characters, even the unredeemable ones. For a romance, these two books were nuanced as well as breezy fun. I was surprised to learn that Majesty is considered the conclusion of this series though. There were lots of loose ends that weren't so neatly tied up, in my opinion. Oh well. I enjoyed the alternate history aspect very much as well as the fast pace and tabloid fun of this book. 

Again, the narrator did a fine job maintaining the pace and tone.

Teen fans of romance and royal-watchers will find lots to like in these two books. 

Teen Tuesday: American Royals by Katharine McGee

Image: Penguin Random House

American Royals by Katharine McGee. 464 p. Random House Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Random House, September, 2019. 

It seems apropos on this Election Day to feature an alternate history. What if George Washington were made king of the newly formed United States of America instead of elected president? Teen Tuesday features American Royals by Katharine McGee. This is pure escapist fun. King George the Third and his family rule America. George's father abolished the ascendancy rule of first male as heir to the throne, so his eldest, Beatrice, will become America's first queen someday. She trains for that role with purpose and dedication. Her parents give her a file filled with eligible royal men to consider as husband material. There's a slight problem though. Beatrice has fallen for a commoner.

Meanwhile, Beatrice's fraternal twin siblings, Samantha and Jefferson, are taking a gap year between high school and college. Jefferson enjoys his role as America's most eligible bachelor and Samantha is considered the family rebel.

The fast-paced narrative switches POV and keeps the action lively. The reader is treated to court intrigue and shenanigans. This is the first in a series which is sure to charm. I read this one with my ears and really enjoyed it. The narrator's breezy style matched the breezy tone of the book. The nice thing about coming to a series later is that the wait time for book two is shorter. I placed a hold on the sequel right away! Review coming soon.

Teen Tuesday: The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton

Image: Blackstone Publishing

Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours. Read by Rosie Jones. Blackstone Publishing, March, 2019. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday TMS Readers! One of the advantages to coming to a series or duology late to the game is not having to wait for the sequel. Teen Tuesday features Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton. This sequel to The Belles picks right up from the conclusion of Ms. Clayton's debut and the intrigue continues. I won't give much of a summary since you really need to read The Belles and I don't want to spoil anything. Who can Camellia trust now? And, where is the princess? If you enjoyed The Belles, you know you need this book. I was riveted and read it with my ears over three days! I believe that the series was originally intended to be a duology, but the ending does leave room to return to the world, which I would not mind at all.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Image: Disney

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton. The Belles #1. Unabridged downloadable audiobook read by Rosie Jones. ~11 hours. Blackstone Publishing, 2018. 9781538540626. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! It's a lovely, rainy day to curl up with a great book! Teen Tuesday features The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton. This fantastic fantasy was Ms. Clayton's debut. A former eighth grader found it in the YA section and read it. When she returned the book, she asked if I had read it. Contrary to popular belief, I have not read every book in TMS library and had not read The Belles. She told me to try it. Since I try to read any book a student recommends, I put it on my list and read it with my ears. Wowzers!

If you enjoy fantasy, you will love The Belles. Everyone on the island nation of Orleáns is born with gray skin, red eyes and awful hair. Legend has it that the goddess of beauty blessed certain humans, the "Belles" with the power to grant beauty by using their gifts, arcana, to reshape any human form in any way as many times as the human desires, as long as they can pay for it and stand the pain. Orleáns is ruled by a queen, whose eldest daughter has been in a coma for several years and whose younger daughter is prone to cruelty and bizarre experiments. Camillia Beauregard is the queen's new favorite Belle, a position she has wanted all her life. Once inside the court, Camillia begins to unravel the history of the Belles and the truth behind their powers. 

Terrific world-building, ever-increasing suspense after a slow-ish start lead to a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers panting for the next installment. The performance by a new-to-me narrator was also well-done. Unique voices and well-paced. I do wonder though about the penchant for audiobook producers to hire British narrators for fantasy. Orleáns felt vaguely NOLA or French to me. Still, it was an intriguing listen.

Middle Grade Monday: Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis

Image: Candlewick Press

Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis. 400 p. Walker Books/ Candlewick Press, June, 2019. 9781536204988. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Happy Labor Day Monday, TMS Readers! Today is my last day of summer vacation. I plan on finishing my 91st book today. If it rains, I might be able to squeeze in a 92nd.

Middle Grade Monday features a gorgeous MG graphic novel debut called Queen of the Sea, written and illustrated by Dylan Meconis. This rich and atmospheric tale takes place on a tiny island off the coast of Albion and is told by Margaret, an orphan, who is being raised by the nuns who live on the island. It's a work of fiction, but loosely based on the story of young Queen Elizabeth I. 

We learn of life on the wind-swept, mostly barren island. The inhabitants work hard and have contact with the outside world only twice a year, when a supply ship arrives. Occasionally, the ships arrive with new residents, as in the case of William and his mother; and, later, an unexpected ship with the arrival of a mysterious "prisoner." 

The art is luscious—pen and ink and earth toned watercolor. The paper is creamy and the book has some heft. There's a lot of dialogue to follow, which might require some rereading. Queen of the Sea is a thoughtful, suspenseful yet humorous tale that will stretch your graphic novel wings. Hand Queen of the Sea to your graphic novel fans as well as fans of historical fiction. Highly recommended! It's also getting a bit of well-deserved Newbery buzz.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Wicked King by Holly Black. The Folk of the Air series #2. Unabridged audiobook on 9 compact discs. 10.5 hours. Read by Caitlin Kelly. Hachette Audio, January, 2019. 9781549171314. (Review of purchased audiobook.)

This sequel to The Cruel Prince picks up five months later. Jude continues to narrate in the present tense. She has Cardan firmly under her thumb thanks to the oath she extracted from him, but maintaining hold and sussing out shifting alliances is not easy. She realizes she needs more than a year and a day. The queen of the sea is bent on taking control of Elfhame, preferably by marrying her daughter, Nicasia to Cardan, but by war, if necessary. And there are those within Elfhame who are not happy with Jude's power and position, including her "father," Madoc. (Please forgive character name misspellings.)

The Cruel Prince was an absolutely wild ride from beginning to jaw-dropping end. The betrayals and plot surprises were enough to give me whiplash. Holly Black's worldbuilding is magnificent. Faerie is a world both terrifying and fascinating. Her many characters are unique and distinct. I just love these books and am eagerly awaiting the next installment. 

I just reread my audio review of The Cruel Prince and realized that I did not comment on the performance by Caitlin Kelly. She embodies Jude - her determination, her love for her sisters, her passions and her hatred. She was a new-to-me narrator with The Cruel Prince but a quick peek at her past performances reveals she's a seasoned narrator. 

The series is rich, complex and utterly satisfying. It's an absolute first-purchase for high school libraries and all YA public library collections. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Traitor's Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The Traitor's Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Traitor's Game series #1. Unabridged downloadable audiobook. 11 hours. Read by Jesse Vilinski and Michael Curran-Dorsano. Scholastic Audio, February, 2018. (Review from downloadable audio borrowed from public library.) 

Teen Tuesday features a new series by Jennifer Nielsen. Fans of The False Prince will enjoy The Traitor's Game. Sixteen-year-old Kestra has been summoned home to Highwyn by her father. She has been away for three years and wonders what her stern father wants. Her party is attacked by a band of Coracks, who hold Kestra's maid and beloved guard and mentor hostage. The ransom? They want her to find and recover the Olden Blade, a weapon with magical properties fabled to be the only weapon that can kill the immortal and evil Lord Endrick. 

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Kestra and Simon, one of her captors, who is a former servant with a grudge. This court intrigue fantasy is pretty violent and betrayal and plot twists abound leaving readers to anticipate the next installment. While no new ground is broken here, the quick pace and suspense will have appeal for readers who like their fantasy fast and furious. 

The world-building was a bit vague. The narrators were both new to me. Jesse Vilinsky's clipped, no-nonsense, almost monotone delivery had initial appeal, but soon wore thin. Curran-Dorsano's delivery had more emotion. I am definitely on board for the sequel; but will probably opt to read with my eyes. 

Review: Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan

Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan. Shadow Magic #1. 324 p. Disney/ Hyperion, April, 2016. 978148432724. (Review from purchased copy.)

Argh! I don't know how I missed this when it pubbed in 2016! It is so-o hard to keep up with reviews! Perhaps it was because I did not recognize the author's name. Thank goodness Sarwat Chadda posted information about book three, Burning Magic on his FB page! I am familiar enough with the name Chadda (Loved the Ash Mistry books!) that I would've paid attention to a new book by him. Joshua Khan? Who's he? So, which name is the pen name? 

Shadow Magic sports an impressive blurb on the cover by Rick Riordan, "I defy you not to love this story." Ordinarily, I don't pay much attention to blurbs in general or author blurbs in particular. Were I not already in love with the cover and heft of this beautifully designed book, I might have been fighting my knee from jerking and ramping up to defy.

I fell in love at page one. The two main characters are opposites socio-economically and immediately intriguing. Thorn is the son of a thief. We meet him at a slave auction where he is about to be sold. He is purchased by an man named Tyburn. Turns out, Tyburn is the Shadow Family's executioner. Most of the Shadows have been murdered and Tyburn is on the hunt for their murderers. Lily Shadow is the sole heir to the Shadow realm. It is surrounded on all sides by enemies and she must marry in order to protect her people. Her only living relative is a drunken uncle with no magic. Secondary characters are richly drawn and the setting is so vivid, illustrations aren't really needed but they do add interest. As mentioned earlier, the book itself has heft and the cover is gorgeous. There's a creamy feel to the cover and the embossed cover adds to the tactile pleasure. I actually stroke the book while booktalking it! Lily looks positively goth and Thorn sits astride a giant bat! How can one resist this cover?

There's something for every kind of reader - humor, suspense, magic and surprises. I can't wait to finish the trilogy.  

Teen Tuesday and review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. Folk of Air series #1. Unabridged digital recording (online resource). Twelve hours, 37 minutes. Read by Caitlin Kelly. Blackstone Audio, January, 2018. 9781549140082. (Review from e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

When I received an arc of this at a Little Brown Preview, I was super-excited because I adore Holly Black. When she signed my arc, she did caution me that it really wasn't for middle school when I shared that I work in a middle school. So, I kept putting off reading it. Then the stars started rolling out. Then I found it on audio, which is the way I tend read most fantasy and older YA.

Wow! Consider my socks officially knocked off!

To summarize, after a third-person preface, this is narrated by seventeen-year-old Jude Duarte. In the preface, we learn that when Jude and her twin sister were seven, their home was invaded by Madoc, their older sister, Vivian's fae father. Madoc has learned that the body that was burned with his house was not that of his wife and her unborn child and, after viciously murdering his wife and Jude's father as revenge, kidnaps the three girls and returns to Elfhame.

Fast forward ten years and the POV switches to first-person, present tense. Jude Duarte is a compelling narrator. She hates Madoc but loves Elfhame. She trains hard towards her goal of becoming a knight in the king's court. This will give her a measure of power in a land where she is an outsider and despised - especially by Cardon, the king's youngest son who is a bully.

The world-building is vivid. Black immerses the reader into a fully-formed Faerieland, peopled with fascinating, vicious characters. The story is sumptuous and intriguing, always surprising. There is not one wasted word nor misplaced character. The suspense ratcheted up unbearably before taking me totally by surprise, leaving me breathless and panting for the next installment.

The Cruel Prince is not to be missed - especially if you are a fan of faerie stories. While Ms. Black's advice that the story is not for the typical middle school reader, I have mature eighth grade readers who are huge fantasy fans who would love this. (I also have an eighth grade only section in my library.) And while I am sad that I did not get to read the arc before publication, not doing so shortens the length of time I have to wait for the next installment, The Wicked King, due out January 8, 2019! Behold the beautiful cover:

#tbt: Tithe by Holly Black

Tithe by Holly Black. A Modern Faerie Tale #1. 320 p. Margaret K. MeElderry Books/ Simon & Schuster, October, 2002. 9780689849244. (own)

#tbt features Tithe by Holly Black. This is book one of a trilogy called A Modern Tale of Faerie. It was also Ms. Black's debut and was published in 2002. A year later, her collaboration with Tony DiTirrlizzi, The Field Guide, which is the first book in The Spiderwick Chronicles was published. Tithe is the story of sixteen-year-old Kaye, who enjoys her nomadic life touring with her mom, who fronts a band. She's sent to live at her grandmother's home near the Jersey shore after a band member is attacked. Danger follows her there. She thought she once had three imaginary friends, but then two of the three show up to warn her of imminent danger. This dark story of the seely and unseely courts of faerie is rich and suspenseful.

The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Book 3 of The Ascendance Trilogy. Scholastic Inc. February 23, 2014. 9780545284172. (Finished copy courtesy of the publisher.)

Jaron, our reluctant king,finds himself between a rock and a hard place when Carthya is surrounded by hostile kingdoms led by Vargan, the King of Avenia. Will Jaron's lying, cheating ways help or harm his hopelessly outnumbered forces?

When Imogen is kidnapped, Jaron realizes that Vargan will use Jaron's friends to get to him so he sends Amarinda and Tobias away. Mott insists on attempting to rescue Imogen and is captured as well. So, it is up to Jaron to infiltrate Vargan's camp to rescue them both. Along the way, he calls in a favor from the pirates, but he is unsure of where their allegiance lies. The only person he can count on is himself.

Jaron shows increasing maturity in this installment, but he still possesses the ability to infuriate. There's plenty of action and suspense as Jaron finds himself in increasingly dire predicaments. The body count is high and some deaths are shocking. Betrayals are inevitable. 

A totally satisfying end to a spectacular saga. I'm going to miss Jaron and his friends as well as the kingdom of Carthya. Ms. Nielsen succeeded in constructing a beguiling world and Jaron is a character that I won't soon forget. 

There are plenty of fans at my school panting for this one.